El trabajo de nuestra asociación y voluntarios, contado por una de ellas, Emily Collins.

La Asociación de Amigos de la Patagonia está conformada por una red de voluntarios y voluntarias que desde su lugar, tiempo y profesión, colaboran para promover nuestra acciones de educación ambiental, nuestras reforestaciones y campañas de concientización. Esta nota fue escrita por Emily Collins, periodista voluntaria estadounidense que, a la distancia, colaboró con nosotros para promover el cuidado del ambiente y el amor por la Patagonia en nuevos rincones del mundo.

The Association of Friends of Patagonia (AAP), which celebrated its 23rd anniversary on July 1, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental education and promotion of the care of natural resources. Their ultimate goal is to create a more sustainable community to protect the environmental legacy for future generations by raising awareness about the need for environmental protection. 

The organization has multiple programs that do just that. Their “We Make Forest” program works on local development, tree planting, and environmental education with over 34,000 trees planted. They dedicate resources to training and educating community leaders, school teachers, and students about the importance of the environment and natural resources. They work to ensure the landscape in Patagonia and parks, as well, with volunteers set at environmental awareness booths in Lanín National Park. They also support local initiatives and action developments that reduce negative impacts to Patagonia.

However, all of this would not be possible without the help of each and every volunteer, like Victoria Pérez Valiño. Pérez Valiño was an event planner with a degree in public relations before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. She had a lot of experience in organizing events, however, the pandemic became a real game changer for her when the thing she had done for 19 years was no longer an option. 

“With the pandemic my focus changed, I started several online courses, and the one that struck me the most was the Game Changer Intensive – Pachamama Alliance. That was the beginning of the end in the event industry for me,” said Pérez Valiño. 

It was then that she started to look into a place working in sustainability and was able to get connected to Amigos de las Patagonia through a friend and started volunteering in their RRII department. 

In the RRII department Pérez Valiño shares the responsibility of Institution Public Affairs/Relations department with another member of AAP, Pablo Grillo. This means she links AAP to companies that they can educate about their environmental programs, and they respond to public sector initiatives for other nonprofits. 

Pérez Valiño is a part of making a great movement in support of Patagonia’s environment.